


Glass Houses

by cleo (miri_cleo)



Category: Body of Proof, Rizzoli & Isles
Genre: Drunk Sex, F/F, F/M, Femslash, Het, Past Relationship(s), Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-13
Updated: 2011-04-13
Packaged: 2017-10-18 01:15:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 8,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/183358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miri_cleo/pseuds/cleo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When another body is found in Philadelphia where the murderer is on trail, Jane and Maura are called in to help ensure their investigation is not called into question.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Counterpoint](https://archiveofourown.org/works/178898) by [cleo (miri_cleo)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/miri_cleo/pseuds/cleo). 



> As with "Counterpoint," this is set sometime before the Body of Proof season premier. I've also filled in Maura's history with something of a mix of book and television canons.
> 
> Thanks, of course, goes to futureimperfect for beta work!

Megan pulled the stack of paper from the printer and slid it into a folder before walking briskly out of her office.  She did not return slight acknowledgements of her presence in the hallway, and she did not knock on Kate Murphy’s open door.

“My report,” she said as she put the folder int he center of the blonde’s desk. “It’s all there, including the Boston murders.”

Kate glanced up without looking at the folder.  She pushed it aside. “I’m expecting detailed materials from the Boston M.E.’s office later today.  I’m assuming they’ll match your results.”

“More or less.” Megan shrugged as she crossed her arms.

“More or less?” Kate raised her eyebrows as she leaned back in her chair. “That’s not exactly how Maura Isles runs things.”

“I can guarantee you that there’s nothing Dr. Isles found that I missed, and furthermore, I relied on her results heavily, as I was deemed an _observer_.”

She pursed her lips as Kate chuckled lightly. “Sometimes it’s better to play nice.”

“Oh, I played nice...enough, at least.” She hesitated only a moment before stepping back to close the door.  

Megan ound things to like and respect about Kate the first time she met her, and that had been important in taking the job.  But she could hardly say they had a strong personal relationship.  It wasn’t necessarily that Megan hadn’t been there long, but if the job allowed for it, Megan didn’t.

“She certainly has interesting taste.”

There was something in the way Kate settled further into her chair, the way she cocked her head and parted her lips.  Megan wasn’t exactly an expert at reading the subtleties of people, and she didn’t care to be.  But the body language told her what she hadn’t outright asked for.

“So, the two of you did have something,” she said matter of factly.

“I never said I was straight.” Kate’s tone was flat.

“You never said you were a lesbian either.”

“No.  I didn’t.”

Maura had been more coy, but Kate simply wasn’t going to tell her anything else either way.  Megan licked her lips thoughtfully as she perched on the edge of the blonde’s desk.

“She has a thing for a detective...”

“I didn’t know you were interested in women, Megan,” Kate said, cutting her off.

A slow, easy smirk appeared on Megan’s face. “Since the divorce, I haven’t seen any harm in picking up some old habits again.”

“Women,” Kate said, standing, “are not ‘habits’.”  Megan raised her eyebrows at the distinct hardening of the blonde’s tone as she sauntered around her desk and to the door, opening it. “Try being a human being, for God’s sake, Megan.”

That she had struck a nerve was an understatement, and for once, but she knew better than to push too hard. She had to work with Kate after all. "Look everything over again. I don't want any mistakes on our end," Kate said as she held the door wide.

'"Relax," Megan said as she walked by her, "It's just a turn of phrase, and Dr. Isles was interested enough." She didn't wait for Kate to reply, knowing that much might prove fatal. But it had been too difficult to resist, and she smirked as she walked away.


	2. Chapter 2

Gently, Maura placed her hand on Jane's knee, and it took a long moment for the brunette to stop bouncing it. Once she did, Maura immediately withdrew and smiled, almost apologetically. "There are a few remedies for flight anxiety, but perhaps you should simply try to get some rest. I'm not sure another cup of coffee will help."

"Sorry," Jane said gruffly. "It's not the flight. It's...the reason." Maura listened to her sigh as she leaned back into the seat. She immediately began to wring her hands, massaging them automatically.

Maura simply nodded. After all of their hard work, everything had gone back to normal--relative to what normal was for them. But they had the satisfaction of solving a multi-state serial killing spree; it was some satisfaction against a backlog of unsolved cases and a string where the evidence simply wasn't enough. At least, it was until another victim turned up in Philadelphia after the trial had begun. "High profile cases often inspire copycats."

"I know that, Maura," Jane said, annoyed. "But we kept a tight lid on this one. What if we were wrong? What if...what if we jumped to conclusions?"

"No." Maura shook her head slowly, seriously. "I don't jump to conclusions." She thought about Megan Hunt, but even she had been thorough in making sure they had the right information. "We're going to prove that we weren't. They just want to consider all of their bases...that's all."

A half smile appeared on Jane's face, but it was fleeting. "Cover...cover their bases. And you're right, I know. I just... I don't like it, Maura."

Maura let the conversation lapse into silence, knowing there was nothing she could say to that to make Jane less restless. She felt uneasy as well, but she was confident that they would do their jobs to the best of their abilities, that they would be able to discern just what this new development meant.

What she wasn't sure about was Megan Hunt. Maura knew she hadn't been as welcoming as one might have due to to the circumstances. It was not something for which she felt the need to apologize. Perhaps Megan had seen her concession as such--Maura wasn't sure. But Philadelphia was Megan's territory, and Maura wasn't sure how welcome she would be.

It was rare that a case called Jane or Maura away from Boston, but it was rarer still that they be called away together for a distance more significant than a drive to Maine. They were met at the airport by a frowning detective in a suit as ill fitting as Jane's blazer but for different reasons. "You detective Rizzoli?" he asked as they walked in his direction.

"Yeah, what gave it away, Sherlock...the badge?" Jane put her hands on her hips, posturing herself as she looked down at him.

"Great, a wise-ass. Let's go." He looked torn between disgusted and apathetic, and while Maura had her own opinions about how Jane asserted herself, she knew there would be no use in voicing them.

"Who are you?" Jane asked, not budging.

"Detective Bud Morris. You ready to go now because the longer we wait, the more likely it is that our guy gets off free and clear and we're left at square one. You want that on your head, Rizzoli?"

Jane pursed her lips, but in the end, she followed as he began to walk toward the exits. She sided with Maura, whispering under her breath. "Some welcoming committee, this guy."

"Jane, please..." Maura said softly. She pressed her hands into her pockets, suddenly more aware that she was nervous on a personal level, and that would not serve her in this situation. As Jane opened her mouth, no doubt to protest, Maura looked up at her sharply. They had work to do, and Maura didn't want it to be any more difficult than necessary.


	3. Chapter 3

The building was certainly impressive, and Maura was sure that the labs were just as pristine. She and Jane were quiet in the elevator, and Detective Morris seemed content with that. He brought them up to speed on the case in the car, but they were all anxious to see the evidence firsthand. They followed him into a hallway ending in a breathtaking view, but it was soon obscured as a tall blonde walked toward them. Maura smiled brightly, forgetting her tension for a moment.

"Maura." Kate extended her hand, and when Maura caught it, they embraced lightly. "I'm glad you were able to come. Your work on the last two victims was pristine, and we could really use all the expert opinions we can get on this..." She smiled warmly, and Maura was meeting that smile without question.

"We're happy to help, Kate.  Thank you for including us," Maura replied as she stepped back, slipping her hand away. Kate hadn't changed, merely aged, but that wasn't a bad thing.

"Uh...excuse me, hi..." Jane did not so much offer her hand as force it upon Kate. "Detective Jane Rizzoli, and you are?"

Maura, to her credit, did not cringe, though it was her firs inclination. "Jane, this is Dr. Kate Murphy, the chief medical examiner for the city. Dr. Hunt reports to her."

"A pleasure, Detective." Kate waved them forward as she began to walk, her heels clicking firmly on the floor. "Dr. Hunt is this way. You'll want to coordinate with her on the autopsy she performed, and no doubt you'll want to see the victim yourself. Detective Rizzoli, you're familiar with our medical investigator, Peter Dunlap." Jane cleared her throat and tried to cover it by coughing. "He and Detective Morris can give you more details from that end."

“Great.  Thanks.”  The way Jane’s voice fell was flatter than usual, but Maura did not dwell on it.  That Jane was going to stay bristled and blustery was a given.  Maura wasn’t sure how long they would be there versus how long it would take the brunette to settle in.  But they were turning into Megan’s lab, and there, gowned and in protective glasses, Dr. Hunt looked at home.

“I was just going over the body again,” she said without looking up. “There are fresh scrubs if you’d like to join me, Dr. Isles.”

“Thank you. I will,” Maura replied.  She felt some weight lift off of her chest at the reception, but as Kate indicated the neatly folded pile of clothing and where she could change, Megan looked up.  Maura paused when their eyes met, and she realized this would be more complicated than she had anticipated.

Megan smirked.


	4. Chapter 4

The lights of the city stretched out in the darkness beyond the tall windows of the conference room.  Maura looked up, staring at them until they began to blur.  She could feel herself frowning, as if were pulling at the lines of her face.  Finally, she rubbed her eyes and glanced back down at the spread of papers on the table.

“You don’t look happy.”

When she looked up, Kate was standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame with her arms crossed.

“Kate, you know I hate to question the work your office has done, but...this can’t be right.”

As she pushed off of the door, Kate looked tired too.  She walked over slowly and leaned on the table with both hands, glancing over the work. “We called you in because we knew we could be missing something.  I’m not so egotistical that I can't ask for help.” She smiled softly. “I know you’re just as invested in this as Megan is.”

“I just hope it helps...”

Kate was silent for a moment as she looked over the papers and nodded.  Finally, she looked up again and straightened. “Well, you’ve got to eat.  And if you want to stay up all night going over this afterward, i won’t stop you.  But...I think it’s my turn to make dinner.”

“You remembered?” Maura cocked her head before she began to gather the pages together.  

“I don’t have to be classified as a genius to remember that the last meal we had together consisted of grilled cheeses...the best I’ve ever had.”  She smiled. “Come on...it’ll do you good.”

Maura laughed lightly as she stood. “I hope it isn’t a grilled cheese night this time, Kate.”


	5. Chapter 5

As Kate tried to smash a small clove of garlic with the flat of her knife blade, it popped out, bouncing across the counter and finally coming to rest at the toes of Maura’s patent leather shoes. She bent to pick it up, laughing as she looked around for the trash.  Kate was already peeling another clove when she nodded in the direction of the sink.

“So you ended up in Boston after all,” Kate said.

Maura tossed the clove and began to wash her hands. “I did...” Maura trailed off thoughtfully, remembering another night, a night that had not been as easy as this one was proving to be.  It didn’t surprise her, though, that they had fallen back into their friendship so easily.  “I’m sorry I haven’t called.”

“Don’t be.” Kate waved her off. “You don’t have to tell me how busy it is.”  She glanced up, smiling. “The West Coast didn’t agree with you then.”

“It surprised me, really, but no.”  Maura watched Kate nod, and she looked down at her hands.  The distance had been more than they wanted, and there were times since when Maura felt like it had been such a trivial thing. She took a bunch of arugula sitting on the counter and began to wash it. “I missed wintertime.”

“Somehow,” Kate said, chuckling, “that does not surprise me.”

“No, I doubted it would.”  The laughter came more easily from Maura.  She leaned against the counter, watching Kate take a large bowl down from one of the cabinets.

“Just use it all.  I don’t know about you, but my appetite is as healthy as it ever was.”

Maura raised her eyebrows. “For salad?” She smiled. “You look great, by the way.”

She hesitated, but Kate cut her off before she could continue. “Don’t even ask.  I don’t have the time or inclination to be seeing anyone.”

Maura leaned against the counter once more as Kate took the bowl from her and began to toss in the dressing she’d just made. She took the time to look at her, to really look at her.  Kate had aged, and she had she.  But Maura thought Kate looked even better for it, more human almost.

“I know what you mean,” she said finally.

“You’ve never lacked for options, Maura,” Kate said as she took two plates down.

The same wasn’t exactly false for Kate as well.  Maura wondered if she was bitter, but she didn’t think so.  She knew Kate was the type of woman not to carry things like that with her.  Or if she did, she was very good at hiding it.  But Maura had never had to try so hard to read Kate, to make sense of her as she did with other people.  Kate reached out; she made things easy.  She showed Maura that things could work...for as long as they could, at least.

Maura reached for a drawer, and she was unsurprised when she found flatware there.  She shook her head, smiling softly to herself. “Your place may be bigger, but you’re still a creature of habit, aren’t you?”

“I like an organized kitchen.”

“You’ve always liked an organized life.  So have I,” Maura said, turning with forks and knives in hand.  “It’s one of the things I’ve always liked about you.”

Kate paused, full salad tongs poised over one of the plates. “I hope that’s not the most significant of them...”

“It’s not,” Maura murmured, cheeks flushing. “Not the least.”


	6. Chapter 6

Maura managed to finish the last bite of her tiramisu before she broke into another smile.  she put her fork down and leaned back in her chair while Kate refilled her wine glass.

“Yes, i do remember that, and I know very well that you didn’t make this tiramisu because I remember that incident as well.”

“And you’re determined not to let me forget either.”  Kate chuckled. “You’re right...I bought it from a bakery down the street...yesterday...to eat alone.  Stop looking at me like that.”

“You’ve always had a sweet tooth.”  She stood as Kate began taking up the plate and touched her wrist gently.  “Let me...”

“I’m just putting them in the kitchen.”  Kate smiled. “They can wait until the morning.  Why don’t you make yourself comfortable.”

Maura rubbed her fingers together thoughtfully when Kate walked away.  Her skin was as soft as Maura remembered. She took their two glasses and moved to the sofa, slipping off her shoes and pulling her feet underneath her as she sat, waiting.

“I was just thinking,” Kate was saying as she came into the room, but she stopped speaking when their eyes met.  Maura felt the color in her cheeks rise underneath Kate’s gaze, and she was silent as she watched the blonde swallow. “I was just thinking how it seems like so little has changed.”

Maura looked up as Kate approached.  She ran her fingers through her hair, pushing it back off of her shoulders, and she was about to respond when Kate took her face in her hands, murmuring, “You’re still stunning,” before she kissed her.

As she closed her eyes, Maura remembered what truly getting lost could be like.  She reached for Kate, pulling her close, desperate to feel her skin and her hearbeat.  And pulling away, taking the next breath was one o the most difficult things she could have done, but she knew she had to be responsible.

“Is this wise?”

“We weren’t kids then,” Kate said, her breathy tone making Maura shiver. “And we’re not now, Maura.  And if we regret this in the morning, we can act like reasonable adults about it.”

Maura felt as far from reasonable as one could at that moment, and she pushed any other questions away as she ran her fingers through Kate’s thick hair pulling her in for another kiss, quicker, less deliberate than Kate’s had been.  She felt Kate straddle her, and immediately, Maura let her hands fall to the blonde’s legs.  She moaned as she ran her fingers up them, stopping just at the hem of Kate’s skirt exactly when the kiss broke.  Their eyes met, and Maura felt her heart pounding against her chest as her throat constricted.

It had been so long since she had actually, truly wanted something like this.

“Not yet,” Kate said, gently pushing Maura’s hands away.  And Maura’s heart sank.  She was already searching for words, for explanation.  She was searching for anything other than the pleas that threatened to leap from her lips. But Kate was sliding off of her and onto her knees, parting her legs, and Maura shivered when she realized just what that meant.  

“Kate,” she whispered, shifting as the blonde tugged her panties off.  Maura could hear her chuckling as she pressed kisses up the inside of one of her thighs.

“Impeccable taste, as usual,” she whispered, her breath teasing Maura’s skin. But she was pressing her tongue past Maura’s lips, and Maura was shuddering before she could answer.

She dug her fingers into the cushions, squirming, enjoying the way Kate teased.  It seemed that the blonde still knew her so well, and for that, Maura let herself go, let herself enjoy but not thoughtlessly.  She arched her back, closing her eyes as she moaned.  She ran her fingers through Kate’s hair, feeling the way each strand fell when she let them go.  She enjoyed the slow build of her climax, and her eyes flew open when it finally broke, almost violently.

“Com here,” she breathed, not wanting the warmth, the feeling to disappear. “Come here...”

The urgency brought Kate to her, and Maura pushed her back onto the sofa, kissing her as the haze of her release began to lift.  She could feel Kate’s body warm underneath her, but she needed more than that.  Maura began to tug at her clothes, and soon Kate was helping her until there was a pile strewn over the coffee table and spilling onto the floor.  They didn’t need to speak, and their bodies still fit together, skin to skin.


	7. Chapter 7

t had been so long since Maura woke to pleasantness of soft, wrinkled sheets half hiding her own body.  Kate’s leg was draped over her hip, and she did not resist the urge to run her fingers up it, under the sheet up to the blonde’s own hip.  The had made it to bed laughing, and Maura couldn’t remember when they fell asleep, but she felt pleasantly tired, pleasantly aching.

She could feel Kate’s eyes on her, and she was silent as she let her look, as she tracked slow circles on the blonde’s stomach.

“It’s early enough,” Kate said finally, lazily.

“For more than coffee,” Maura replied, turning to meet Kate in a soft kiss.


	8. Chapter 8

As she looked up at the side by side scans, Maura frowned, taking a step back to enhance her view.  She was contemplating the possibility of any minute differences that would differentiate the type of blade, when she heard a footfall behind her.

“Those look...fascinating.” Jane’s tone was dry, but there was something of an edge underneath that.

“I’m comparing enlarged bone scans of the most recent victim with the second Boston victim.  You can see where the blade touched bone here,” she said pointing to the first scan and then the second, “and here.  I’m not an expert, but there could be some detail that shows a differentiation in the weapons used.”

“Well, maybe you’ll have more luck than I have this morning.”  Jane rubbed her eyes before crossing her arms.  As she bounced on her toes, Maura cocked her head thoughtfully.  She wondered if she should prompt Jane for what was wrong besides the case or simply wait.  The brunette saved her further contemplation when she said, “You...weren’t in your room last night.  I ordered Chinese...there was a ton.”

“Oh.”  Maura turned back to the scans, flushing slightly. “Dr. Murphy is an old friend, so we had dinner to catch up.”

She felt Jane shift beside her. “Right...yeah.  I just thought...I was worried you might have stayed here all night at that conference table with the files.”  She laughed, a harsh, quick sound. “But everybody’s gotta eat, right?”

Maura turned to her, flashing a closed lip smile as Peter Dunlap came into the room.  He glanced at the two of them and then to the scans before his eyes fell on Jane.

“Morning, Doc. Detective Rizzoli.  Can I offer you...uh, you two coffee?”

“No thanks,” Jane said quickly. “We’re just...working out these bone scans...”

“Go ahead, Jane,” Maura said, uncomfortable that Jane’s hesitation probably had something to do with her presence.  She wondered if Jane had spent the entirety of the night alone. “I should really call Dr. Hunt in for help with these.  Perhaps the two of you can approach this from a different angle.”

“Great,” Jane said, glancing between the two of them. “Well...just call if you find anything, okay?”

“Of course, Jane.” Maura flashed a quick smile before turning back to the scans.  

She wasn’t sure how long she stood there trying to find some sort of pattern in the slides before her, but Maura was brought back to the moment when Megan reached for one of them and took it down from the light board, holding it up.

“These striations... there’s definitely a variation, but I can’t say for sure whether that’s normal.”

Maura nodded. “How long were you standing there?”

“Long enough.”  Megan smiled and clipped the sheet back up. “This could make or break our case.  We never found the murder weapon...”

“I know.” Maura shook her head with the utility of the exercise, but they both turned when they heard Kate’s voice behind them.

“There’s a specialist in DC.  I’ll send copies to her and her team.”

Maura watched Megan raise her eyebrows. “Oh, is that in the budget?”

“She owes me a favor.” And as Kate turned to leave, Maura could see her roll her eyes.  She stifled a smile before turning to other work.  When it came to Kate and favors, Maura could only imagine.  


	9. Chapter 9

Maura watched as Jane leaned back in the chair, brow furrowed as Detective Morris finished speaking. Her thumb was poised to click a pen until she suddenly put it down, leaning forward with barely controlled energy.  She looked tired; she looked wild.  Maura waited.

“It can’t be just a copycat.” She was shaking her head. “It’s gotta be an insider.”

Morris narrowed his eyes. “What are you saying, Rizzoli?”

“I’m saying one of your people is trying to screw up this case and incidentally happens to be a sadistic murderer.”

Before Morris could start the outburst his body language almost certainly suggested he was about to begin, Maura spoke. “The level of precision and the intimate knowledge of the details of the case do seem to suggest that someone with access to the case files.”

She watched as Morris sucked in his bottom lip angrily and began to pace. “How do you know we didn’t get the wrong guy int he first place, huh?”

“Because it’s not that precise,” Megan said from the other end of the table. “We have enough evidence to show original killer, and once we figure out just who he is, we’ll be able to prove that there’s no way he could have planted the DNA evidence in Boston.”

“Unless it was you or Dunlap,” Morris grumbled.

“I’ve been called cold, Detective, but...”

“That’s enough,” Kate said as she stood.  She crossed her arms as she turned to look out over the cityscape.  This weighed heavily on all of them, Maura knew--more than she or Jane could really feel. “As you’ve so aptly pointed out, Detective Morris, my office is not immune from this investigation either.  So let’s focus on what we have and try to narrow down our list of suspects.” She turned. “Shall we?”


	10. Chapter 10

Jane was pulling on her blazer as everyone filed out of the conference room.  She turned to speak to Maura over her shoulder, but she saw Dr. Murphy touched the blonde’s elbow.

“Dr. Isles, can I speak to you for a moment.”

“Of course.” Maura didn’t hesitate, and even through the concerned look on her face, Jane could see her eyes brighten.

She followed them with her eyes as they stepped out and turned toward Murphy’s office, and Jane made no pretense about slowly following them.  Maura was, after all, her partner in this, and they needed to assess the situation together.  It seemed to Jane, though, that they had hardly had a moment since arriving in Philadelphia.  

They were busy, and it was exciting.  She loved the tension and the sleeplessness.  She loved having her focus wholly on one thing.  But her focus wasn’t as sharp as usual.  She pulled out her phone, glancing at it before glancing up at the two women standing in front of Murphy’s desk.

“I’ve read both of your reports, and I’ve already spoken to Megan,” Dr. Murphy was saying, “but I wanted your take.  What do you really think about this being an insider?”

“You read my report, Kate.  I wouldn’t have concurred with Dr. Hunt if I didn’t think that was the best conclusion.”

Jane scrolled through emails, glancing up to see Murphy shake her hair back as she sighed. “I can’t believe we could have missed something like that.  To have someone...” She sighed again. “People like us aren’t supposed to do something like that.”

Maura nodded in silent agreement and a moment when by.  Jane stopped looking at her emails.

“Your supraspinatus muscles appear to be unusually tense.”  Maura seemed to be waiting, and Jane knew that this was the point where she would make a joke out of not knowing what the hell a sarsaparilla muscles was.  But Murphy smiled.

“Given the situation...”

"Sit." Jane had heard that tone before. She wasn't going to take no for an answer, and Jane realized that she wouldn't have said no to the implied offer. She watched as Kate murmured a protest she couldn't hear even a she was sitting down.

Jane stepped closer to the doorway but still out of their sight. She was still holding her phone, thumb poised over the number pad as Maura rounded the desk and placed her hands on Dr. Murphy;s shoulders. They were all tense. they were all on edge, and Maura said that she and Murphy were old friends. Jane told herself that it wasn't her business if there was anything beyond that. She was about to shake herself out of it, to walk away when she saw Maura leaned forward, her hair falling over her shoulders as Dr. Murphy tilted her chin up and met her in a kiss.

"Detective Rizzoli, there you are." Jane was pulled away from the moment, perfectly framed in the doorway and against the bright blue sky outside of the windows by Megan's voice, and she nearly dropped her phone because of it. For a moment, she fumbled with it, and she smiled as she stuffed it in her back pocket.

"Yeah...hey, Dr. Hunt. What..what, uh, can I do for you?"

"Peter was looking for you. He's pulled some personnel files for our office and thinks your input might be more impartial. I was just going to see if Dr. Murphy wanted to be a part of that analysis."

"Yeah...I mean great." Jane scratched her head, blinking away the sight of Maura so easily sharing such an intimate moment with a woman who was a complete stranger to Jane. "Thanks." She glanced to the doorway again, but it was almost as if she had imagined the whole thing. Maura was pointing to something on Murphy's computer screen, and Murphy was nodding intently. She turned away, leaving it to Hunt.


	11. Chapter 11

When Jane tossed her cup to the trash, it hit the rim and rolled onto the floor, spilling what little liquid was left. she rolled her eyes as she got up out of her chair. "This is...pointless. We're not going to find anything this way." She began to pace by the windows, the sunset completely lost on her. They had been at it for hours, and for her, these were just names on pages. She didn't know these people; she had no instincts about them to guide her.

"We're making progress," Peter said, sitting up straighter. "It's all we've got right now."

"No," Jane snapped, "we've got a murderer that might throw a trail and might kill again. Maura and Megan have done their jobs, and now we're left with...paper."

"Just calm down." People got up and walked to her, placing his hands on her shoulders. As soon as he began to squeeze, Jane pulled away.  
"Jesus, Dunlap, what the hell do you think this is?"

"I'm just trying to get you to relax, Jane. We'll find something, but you've got to focus."

She took a step back, her jaw tensing as she pointed at him. "Don't tell me how to do my job." A tense silence followed, and Jane finally broke it. "I'm going to get coffee." She didn't offer, and he didn't ask. So when she left the room and stalked down the hallway, she tried to take a deep breath to clear her head. Her shoulders ached, and her eyes were dry. But Jane ignored that. She and Maura had come to do a job, and that is what she, at least, was going to do

She ran her fingers through her hair as she waited for a fresh pot of coffee someone else had started to finish. She pulled the strands tight at the scalp, closing her eyes as she released them. There had to be something they were missing. She poured herself a cup and absently dumped sugar into it as she mentally went over the files they had separated out. Jane was stirring as she walked when Dr. Murphy and Maura turned the corner.

"You don't have to remind me," Maura was saying. "But this time is my treat, so we'll go out." Jane tried not to notice the warmth of her smile and how it changed when Maura saw her. "Oh, Jane...have you and Investigator Dunlap had any luck?"

"Nope. Not yet."  
   
"We're just going to dinner. You'll let us know?"

Jane nodded. "Yeah," she said as she moved to brush past them. "I should get back to it. I'll give you a call."

She glanced back to say something else, to soften the end of the encounter. Maura knew how these things went; she would understand that Jane was tired and on edge. But Jane saw Dr. Murphy touch the small of Maura's back as they stepped into the elevator. She turned back to the conference room, gripping her cup.


	12. Chapter 12

Maura put down the glass of wine and looked at her phone screen when it lit up.  She glanced up to Kate quickly as she picked it up. “It’s Jane...”

“Go ahead.” Kate was reaching in her purse for her own when Maura picked up.

“Jane...do you have something?”

“We got him,” Jane said breathlessly. “It was one of the uniforms that helped process the scenes here in Philly.  Dr Hunt confirmed the murder weapon and so did that woman at the Jeffersonian, and they’re running the DNA to match the victim now.”

“Jane, that’s wonderful.  Do you need me to come back in.”

There was a pause that went a beat too long. “No, it’s fine.  We’ve got it.”

“Then I’ll see you in the morning,” Maura said, finishing with pleasantries before hanging up.  She turned to Kate. “They have a police officer in custody.  It’s...a terrible realization, but it’s very good that they found him.”

“We.” Kate smiled and raised her glass. “We all found him, and we did it before anyone else got hurt.  So...you and I should celebrate.”

Maura smiled softly and lifted her own glass clinking it against Kate’s gently.  Briefly, she thought of all of the time she had celebrated with Jane after breaking a case.  She thought it was something that had made them closer, but it wasn’t as close as she thought.  Learning that seemed less difficult with seeing Kate again, but a small pang of guilt tugged at her. Still, she pushed it away in favor of the promise of the rest of the evening.


	13. Chapter 13

Maura put down the glass of wine and looked at her phone screen when it lit up.  She glanced up to Kate quickly as she picked it up. “It’s Jane...”

“Go ahead.” Kate was reaching in her purse for her own when Maura picked up.

“Jane...do you have something?”

“We got him,” Jane said breathlessly. “It was one of the uniforms that helped process the scenes here in Philly.  Dr Hunt confirmed the murder weapon and so did that woman at the Jeffersonian, and they’re running the DNA to match the victim now.”

“Jane, that’s wonderful.  Do you need me to come back in.”

There was a pause that went a beat too long. “No, it’s fine.  We’ve got it.”

“Then I’ll see you in the morning,” Maura said, finishing with pleasantries before hanging up.  She turned to Kate. “They have a police officer in custody.  It’s...a terrible realization, but it’s very good that they found him.”

“We.” Kate smiled and raised her glass. “We all found him, and we did it before anyone else got hurt.  So...you and I should celebrate.”

Maura smiled softly and lifted her own glass clinking it against Kate’s gently.  Briefly, she thought of all of the time she had celebrated with Jane after breaking a case.  She thought it was something that had made them closer, but it wasn’t as close as she thought.  Learning that seemed less difficult with seeing Kate again, but a small pang of guilt tugged at her. Still, she pushed it away in favor of the promise of the rest of the evening.


	14. Chapter 14

“Drinking alone on a night like this?”

Jane would have groaned at the sound of Peter’s voice, but she was taking a swig of her beer. She took her time swallowing, letting it warm in her mouth as she considered what to say.

“Yeah well.” She didn’t invite him to sit, but he did anyway, and Jane thought that at least she wasn’t alone.

“Catching two bad guys isn’t so bad, you know.”

“No.” Jane smiled genuinely. “Not it’s really not.” It was the best part of her job, and she was supposed to feel good about doing it and doing a damn good job of it. But by then, she had really had too many beers to care about the line between good and bad. She chuckled as she clinked the neck of her bottle against Peter’s. His was noticeably fuller than hers, but Jane didn’t care. “And you’re right...no sense drinking alone.”

He smiled, and it was charming, relaxed. It didn’t do much to win Jane over, but she wasn’t looking to be won.

“You know what, let’s just get out of here, okay?”

“You sure?” She could tell he wasn’t going to ask twice.

“You bet.”


	15. Chapter 15

“I missed you...” Kate’s eyes were closed and her hair was splayed across the pillow.  The yellow lamplight seemed to make the sheen of sweat on her skin glow. “God, I missed you, Maura.”

There was something so enticing about the gentle murmur of her voice and the way she slowly raised her hips to meet each slow thrust of Maura’s fingers.  It had been a long time since Maura had enjoyed the languid hours of a night like this.

As an answer, Maura kissed her, tasting the chocolate dessert, the last of the wine they’d had with it.  She pressed her body to Kate’s, curling her fingers, catching Kate’s clit with the slow circle of her thumb, and she was content in the quiet.  She was thrilled with the way Kate’s body suddenly clenched around her fingers, the way the blonde gasped as the kiss broke.

Maura settled in her arms, pressing her fingers to her lips and tasting Kate on each one as she closed her own eyes. “I missed you too...”


	16. Chapter 16

Peter grunted as Jane shoved him against the door and started immediately fumbling with his belt.  She didn’t take the time to look around his place.  It was probably just like every other bachelor cop--or former cop’s place.  She’d seen enough of those.

“In a hurry?” he asked, smirking.

“You want me to take my time?”

He laughed, waving a little as Jane finally got the belt off.  She had a better time of the button, and as she pressed her hands into the front of his pants, he pulled her in for a kiss.  Jane didn’t think to close her eyes.

When she touched him, he sighed, and Jane wondered if the room was spinning as much as it was for her.  But at least the rest of the world seemed more distant than it had been before they started.  


	17. Chapter 17

“You could leave the hotel,” Kate said. “Stay here until you go back.”

Maura rolled onto her side, stretching lightly.  She was about to speak when Kate turned, shadow falling on her face as she bent, adjusting one of the leather straps.  Looking at her like that, Maura would have agreed to anything.

“Jane will want to go back as soon as possible.”

She shifted back onto her back as Kate climbed onto the bed.  Maura wrapped her arms around her, running her fingers up her back, feeling the strength in her shoulders.  She smiled up at Kate, content.

“I’m not asking Jane to come stay with me for a few days,” Kate murmured before kissing Maura as she pushed into her.

“Are we really doing this again?”  Maura held Kate tightly and squeezed her eyes shut as the blonde stilled inside of her.  She was afraid to breathe, afraid to look at Kate’s face lest she had been mistaken.  She wasn’t willing to let go of the moment for that...like she had been all too willing to let go years before.

After a long pause, Kate kissed her neck softly. “Boston isn’t that far away.”


	18. Chapter 18

Peter nearly tripped over his pants as he tried to push Jane onto the sofa.  She nearly tripped herself by trying to sidestep him.  

“Jesus!” she snapped as she half landed on the coffee table.  Luckily it was sturdy enough that when Peter ended up on top of her, it didn’t break.  He was laughing, and Jane was too as the toppled onto the floor breathlessly.  But there was nothing else to do but laugh, regardless of whether it was hollow or not.  

“Peter’s fine,” he quipped before kissing her. “But if you really have to...Investigator will do.”

“Yeah, I bet that’s how you get all the girls,” Jane said.  She started to wriggle out of her pants, and she was only halfway finished when he was tugging at her panties, trying to push into her.

“Condom!” Jane yelled, squirming away. “C’mon, for Christ’s sake...”

Peter grunted in response, and Jane found herself unhindered as he moved to rummage through his pants pockets for his wallet.  She kicked out of her pant legs, and tugged at her shirt, giving him time and trying to avoid any further awkwardness.  And when he was on top of her again, she wrapped her legs around him.


	19. Chapter 19

Kate hit her pillow hard, panting, and Maura shifted when the blonde rolled into her.  She closed her eyes, half wondering what time it was and when she stopped caring about whether or not they would sleep on clean sheets.  She smiled to herself.

“I’m exhausted,” she whispered lazily.

“I want ice cream.”

Maura laughed, opening her eyes as she turned her head to Kate. “You’re serious.”

“Mmhm.” Kate gingerly ran her fingers down Maura’s stomach, making her shiver as goosebumps appeared on her cooling skin. “Reminds me of you...”

“Cold and...” Maura furrowed her brow, “high in sugar and saturated fats?”

“No...” Kate kissed her softly, smiling still. “Delicious and refreshing."


	20. Chapter 20

Jane wasn’t really sure if she had done a damn good job faking it or if she had actually come and been in too much of a haze to realize it.  She was sore when Peter rolled off of her and onto the carpet, but she got up anyway.

“You’re on my pants.”

“Leaving already?” he asked as he tossed the clothing to her.

“Badge too,” she rasped.

This time, Jane was hopping on one foot while she tried to get the other leg into the pants, and the badge bounced off of her hip when he tossed it.  She grabbed it when she grabbed her shirt.  Peter had stayed the whole night with her in Boston, and it had been sufficiently beyond her comfort zone to find him in her kitchen eating toast the next morning.  She didn’t want to think about how it would go in Philly, so she wasn’t going to stick around to find out.

“Want me to call you a cab?” He was already closing her eyes, and that was fine with Jane.  They’d had a good time, and she was an adult with no need to draw it out or pretend that there were feelings there beyond the hormonal.

“I can take care of it,” she said as she pulled on the shirt.”

“Suit yourself.”

Jane looked up from the shoe she was pulling on.  “I will, thanks,” she said as she finally stepped over him.  It would have capped the night to hear him snoring as she closed the door, but Jane could hear the rustle of Peter standing, gathering his clothes as he presumably headed to the bedroom.  

She didn’t stay for more.  An empty hotel room was the better option, and if she could get to sleep the second her head hit the pillow, she wouldn’t have to think about anything else.


	21. Chapter 21

A crack in the curtains let in a sliver of city light, and Jane kept opening her eyes to it as she tossed. Sleep wouldn’t come and her thoughts were muddled, but through the haze of it, she listened in the hallway for opening doors, for footsteps.  

She knew Maura wasn’t going back to her room that night, just like the nights before it.  And she knew if she continued to be silent, something inside of her would break.  She had been so stupid not to realize.


	22. Chapter 22

The feeling of Kate stretching her long limbs woke Maura, but she did not open her eyes.  She could feel the lengthening of Kate’s body beside her, and she ran her fingers up the blonde’s side.  Her own body was pleasantly sore, pleasantly tired.

“Morning,” Kate whispered, her voice lower and rasping because of sleep.

“Mmm,” Maura responded, smiling, her eyes still closed.

“We’re already late.”  Kate wasn’t moving, but that got Maura to open her eyes.  The lamp was still on, but she could see high morning sun past the slit in the curtains.  She shifted but Kate draped one of her arms around her. “It’s okay...” She smirked, her eyes bright. “I’m the boss.”


	23. Chapter 23

t seemed like everything that had gone by the wayside during the investigation seemed twice as immediate that day, and Kate barely had time to breathe.  But she liked it that way.  She was hurrying down the main hallway for a cup of coffee between appointments when she saw Maura sitting in the conference room.  A smile came to her face as she slowed, but she realized that Maura wasn’t alone.

Jane came into her view for a moment; the brunette was pacing. “We’ve done our jobs, so we should get back to...you know, our jobs.”

“Jane, our testimony might be needed.  And at the very least, I’d like the time to make a more detailed result.”

“Maura...”  Jane stopped in front of her, and Kate stepped closer as Maura looked up. “Maura,” Jane had lowered her voice, “I’m an idiot.  I was...an idiot.”

Maura was shaking her head. “No, Jane, you’re...”

“Just...that night you showed up at my apartment.  I...God, Maura, you should have just said something.  I was...I didn’t realize how you felt, and I...I was scared because I do too.”

“Jane, please...”

Maura stood, and Kate knew she should continue on.  She was going to be late, she wasn’t going to get her coffee, and she was most certainly not supposed to be privy to this moment.  But she could see the instant tension in Maura’s shoulders, and she wondered just what had happened on the night in question.  The conversation with Megan that Kate had dismissed came back in full force.

“I’m sorry,” Jane said, “I just...I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.  Let’s just go home, and...just tell me I didn’t miss my chance.”

Kate sucked in a breath.  She didn’t think she would ever see someone like Jane look so vulnerable, and what was worse, she couldn’t see Maura’s face.  A tense moment passed, and she was holding her breath until Maura said quietly, “I’m sorry, Jane.”

At that, Kate stepped away, feeling a surge of guilt not especially for witnessing that moment but for feeling the small thrill of triumph.  She turned, hurrying back toward her office, shaking Jane’s stricken look for her mind.


	24. Epilogue

A breeze played in Maura’s soft curls as she adjusted her sunglasses against the glare coming off of the tarmac.  The small private jet was waiting just beyond where she and Kate were standing, but she was reluctant to go, to allow their long weekend to be cut short because there were so few of them.  Still Philadelphia wasn’t far, and in the months since the investigation had wrapped, they found the travel wasn’t too cumbersome.

Kate was smirking. “I should ask where the Boston PD is getting its funds.”

“A private citizen who is...an interested party offered.  It’s quicker that way, and with a second body already since I was called back...”  She was stopped by a quick kiss from Kate, and she sighed as she blonde held her close.

“I’m only teasing, Maura, and only a little jealous.”

“I’ll see you in two weeks?” Maura leaned back, taking in Kate’s expression, enjoying the sight of her in the sunlight.  Even in leaving she was happy, truly happy, and she didn’t feel guilty for her selfishness over it.  It had been too long since she had had this.

“Barring any small catastrophes.” But they both knew that that was a very real possibility.  

Still, even after the jet had taken off and Maura could see only clouds, she carried the warmth of her parting with Kate with her.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Tipping Point](https://archiveofourown.org/works/191176) by [cleo (miri_cleo)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/miri_cleo/pseuds/cleo)




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